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Magnetic Fields (ELF)

Assessment of the magnetic field exposure due to the battery current of digital mobile phones.

No Effects Found

Jokela K, Puranen L, Sihvonen AP. · 2004

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Cell phone battery currents create magnetic field pulses that stay within safety guidelines, but add to your total EMF exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Finnish researchers measured the magnetic fields produced by battery currents in seven different cell phone models to determine if these fields pose health risks to users' heads. They found that while the phones create measurable magnetic field pulses when transmitting, the exposure levels remained well below international safety guidelines. The study concluded there's currently no biological evidence suggesting these magnetic field pulses from phone batteries cause health problems.

Why This Matters

This 2004 study addresses an often-overlooked aspect of cell phone EMF exposure: the magnetic fields generated by battery current, not just the radiofrequency radiation we typically focus on. What's particularly noteworthy is that even though the peak magnetic flux density exceeded some reference levels, the researchers found the actual exposure to users remained within safety guidelines when properly calculated using near-field analysis. The science demonstrates that proximity matters enormously in EMF exposure assessment. However, the study's conclusion that 'no biological data exist to give reason for concern' reflects the limited research available in 2004. Since then, we've accumulated substantial evidence of biological effects from various EMF exposures, though specific research on battery-current magnetic fields remains sparse. What this means for you: while battery-generated magnetic fields appear to be a relatively minor concern compared to RF radiation, they represent yet another layer of EMF exposure that adds to your total daily dose.

Study Details

The aim of this study is to invesitgate Assessment of the magnetic field exposure due to the battery current of digital mobile phones.

The broadband magnetic flux density and the maximal induced current density were compared with the g...

The ICNIRP exposure ratio based on the current density varied from 0.04 to 0.14 for the weighted pea...

Cite This Study
Jokela K, Puranen L, Sihvonen AP. (2004). Assessment of the magnetic field exposure due to the battery current of digital mobile phones. Health Phys. 86(1):56-66, 2004.
Show BibTeX
@article{k_2004_assessment_of_the_magnetic_3120,
  author = {Jokela K and Puranen L and Sihvonen AP.},
  title = {Assessment of the magnetic field exposure due to the battery current of digital mobile phones.},
  year = {2004},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14695008/},
}
PubMed: 14695008

Cited By (56 papers)

View all 56 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, cell phone batteries create magnetic field pulses when transmitting, but Finnish researchers found these exposure levels stay well below international safety guidelines. The study measured seven phone models and concluded no biological evidence suggests these battery-generated magnetic fields cause health problems.
Current research indicates phone battery magnetic fields are not dangerous to your health. A 2004 Finnish study found that while phones create measurable magnetic pulses, exposure levels remained far below safety limits with no biological evidence of harm.
Cell phone battery magnetic fields do not appear to harm your head based on available research. Finnish scientists measured magnetic field exposure to the head from seven phone models and found levels well below safety guidelines with no health concerns identified.
Research shows minimal health risks from phone magnetic fields. A comprehensive Finnish study found that while cell phones generate magnetic field pulses from battery currents, exposure levels stay well below international safety standards with no biological evidence of harm.
Phone batteries create electromagnetic fields through current pulses during transmission. Finnish researchers measured these magnetic field pulses in seven phone models and found they produce detectable fields but at levels considered safe under international guidelines.